The skincare diet will be the most popular trend this year

“Less is more” is a mantra I live by in most aspects of my life - home décor, exercise, my fridge, bank account and hey even my makeup aesthetic, but when it comes to skincare I’ve always gone the full Monty.  My bathroom cabinet could rival your beauty aisle. Like any beauty editor, it’s fully stocked with a product for literally every skin issue.

My typical daily skincare regime looks a little like this:

1. First cleanse
2. Second cleanse
3. Serum one
4. Serum two
5. Serum three
6. Moisturise
7. Eye cream

…oh and throw in a couple of face masks each week for good measure ;) Sound familiar? If you’re a skincare aficionado like me, you’ll no doubt have heard of “skip-care”, which came about last year. The premise is in the name – skipping skincare steps. Now enter the next big thing we’re predicting is here to stay: the “skincare diet”. It’s essentially the antithesis of the K-Beauty 10-step routine.

What is a "skincare diet"?

A more extreme version of skip-care, a "skincare diet", like a real diet, is all about cutting back in order to reach your skin (not body) goals. But, instead of counting calories, you’re counting ingredients. Not only do you streamline your routine from 10 products to the bare essentials, those on a skincare diet should be paying attention to everything they put on their skin…which ultimately ends up inside the bloodstream. The idea behind it is giving you and your skin a break from products it might not necessarily need.

As a skincare enthusiast it goes against every grain in my body but I have to admit…it makes sense. If you rewind a few decades ago, skincare routines consisted of a few basic steps: cleanse, tone, moisturise. So, why now we do need so many steps?!

Like all the big skin trends, the skincare diet came about in Korea a couple of years ago to combat increased skin sensitivity as a result of overly-complicated skincare routines. Skin sensitivity issues are more prevalent than ever yet we have more skincare at out fingertips than ever…go figure. By piling on products in the hopes of improving wrinkles, acne, pigmentation, dryness – you name it – the skin has become overwhelmed and sensitised, often exacerbating existing concerns further.

Originating in Korea, a horde of K-beauty influencers attribute their glowing, healthy complexions to a "skincare diet" /  Free People

How to streamline your skincare routine

Equally as important as removing products is keeping the right products. There’s no point keeping or introducing products filled with nasty chemicals and synthetic ingredients. So first things first find a brand that’s legitimately clean and green, like Okana. Made in New Zealand, Okana is a skincare range made entirely from fruit and vegetables. With products featuring as few as four ingredients, Okana is the perfect brand for those looking to start a skincare diet.

Below is a guide on stripping back your routine to the basics. Note: the products for each step can still be targeted to your concerns.

Generally, a three-step routine will suit all skin types – for those with sensitive or blemish prone skin you may want to also introduce an extra step for toning. More so than a specialised serum, a face toner will help treat the root cause: an out of kilter skin barrier. A toner will restore your pH level to neutral balancing out oil production. Try: Okana Cucumber + Lettuce Toner

Step one: Face wash

Cleansing is an essential first step in any skincare routine. A good cleanser should gently cleanse without stripping natural oils and also remove makeup. When it comes to cleansers there are oils, creams, foams and gels – your preferred texture is up to you. Oil cleansing is ideal for oily, acne-prone complexions, which are easily clogged. The Okana Mango + Apricot Cleanser contains just four ingredients - fresh apricot, macadamia, palm oil-free rapeseed oil and mango butter - all included for a specific purpose. If a foam is more your vibe, Okana’s Apple Juice Cleanser is a refreshing formula suited to all skin types, which leverages the natural amino acids from apple.

Step two: Moisturiser

Follow with moisturiser – regardless of skin type or concerns, healthy skin is hydrated skin. Skin cells require LOTS of water (more than we feed it) to carry out all the necessary metabolic functions, like fighting inflammation and promoting cellular turnover. A lack of hydration compromises skin elasticity and texture making it look dull and accelerating the signs of ageing.

Our skin requires different levels of support during the day vs. night. During the day skin responds best to a lightweight, non-greasy formula like Okana’s Vegetable Garden Day Moisturiser.  Don’t be fooled by its stripped back formula – just apricot kernel oil, olive oil, carrot juice and tomato juice – while gentle, it’s super nourishing and hydrating. While we’re sleeping our skin goes into regeneration mode working to repair and reverse the day’s damage (pollution, UV rays etc.). Look for a night moisturiser brimming with skin-loving antioxidants like the Okana Berry Blend Night Moisturiser, which is naturally hydrating and replenishing.

Step three: SPF

This one’s a no-brainer. Of course the final step in any skincare regime should be sun protection because safety aside, we know the sun is the biggest age accelerator out. Remember a layer of SPF a day keeps sunburn, fine lines, and sun spots away.

Would you try a “skincare diet”?